Tiles vs Vinyl planks

originally went tiles through my home (bedrooms come in carpet though) but was re-examining due to discontinuation of my tiles as to whether I rechoose a tile colour or switch to vinyl planks.

TImber laminate is included i think in the builder's price (so no extra charge) but for switching over to vinyl planks I get the following variation prices:

Easyfit vinyl plank in lieu of current main tile selection is $885

Argyle vinyl planks in lieu of current main tile selection is $355

Karndean Loose Lay viny plank in lieu of current main tile selection is $997

The reason for vinyl planks is I understand they're water proof in general, as opposed to timber laminate. I am likely to rent this out after I have lived in it in the short term (if i move interestate etc.) and so figured something water proof was a positive as I imagine tenants aren't as careful as home owners in spills and water???

Any thoughts? Would vinyl planks have more appeal later down the track as a rental? Or are tiles a better choice as it seems alot harder to either a) chip or b) scratch tiles given their nature, at least we never have in our own homes. Does either affect resale value?

That and they cost more to add in than my 'included' main tiling package or if i went timber laminate planks....

On a side note for those with rentals do you tend to go the polypropelene style basic carpets and basic foam underlay? My recent visit to see the vinyl planks I got a diff salesmen who believed paying the extra to upgrade to solution dyed nylon carpets - loop pile still, was a better option. First salesmen when i initially did my carpet choices reckoned that carpets get ripped up every few years due to the damage/stuff spilled on it by tenants anyway, so therefore not to waste money on a) thicker/upgraded foam underlay and b) to just stick with polypropelene style carpets? The upgrade to solution dyed nylon carpets would be about $2,000 above and beyond the included carpet range by my builder.

I'd go vinyl without doubt if I was choosing.
Timber laminate is damaged by water & chipped/gouged/scratched easily. Definitely would not consider them ever.
Tiles are quite suitable if a few dollars extra are an issue but I'm planning on replacing mine in my PPOR with laminate flooring soon.

I like wooden floors (not the floating type). Always timeless. But my second choice would be vinyl plank (the type that can't be water damaged), and 3rd choice the tiles (easy to clean but the downside is that it looks and feels hard and cold).

I have Karndean spring oak throughout my whole home and wouldn't change it for the world. Everyone keeps mistaking it for timber including the house valuation guy and my pest inspector.

It's a simple installation too - screed the floor then glue it on top. In the event where one plank is damaged (hasn't happened in 4 years), you simply heat gun the plank to loosen the glue, remove it and put down a new one - you'll get spares with your delivery.

I'd personally avoid loose lay. This is generally for commercial applications as it's easier to remove the flooring when their lease is up.

It is waterproof and hard wearing. Looks sensational and I couldn't ask for more.

I was told at Trevor's Carpets the laminate flooring (i don't know if this differs to "timber laminate" but its basically the laminate style timber looking ones - someone correct me if im wrong) were more scratch resistant, whereas vinyl planks scratch easier. In return the timber laminates bubble/don't do well with water, whereas vinyl is waterproof?

Is that true? Is vinyl waterproof or just highly water resistant?

The tiling is $0 extra, so i'd be getting a similar greyish toned tiles for my kitchen (white stone and the really white glossy laminate cupboards). The upgrade to say the Karndean for example would be nearlly $1,000 extra.

@hathro you mentioned avoiding Loose lay - but is the Karndean spring oak a non-loose lay? I'm just abit confused.. my costing of $1,000 was for the loose lay series - aren't these glued down? As far as I was told the easy-fit Trevor's Carpet inhouse vinyl planks (made by Brockmans which are supposedly a big, old school company I was told) were also glued down, and you just cut them out and peel them off, re-lay another plank onto the glue and wollah your done?Supposedly very DIY easy?

Is this the line of Karndean that I should be avoiding? And I can't find any reference made on the website to being waterproof though - does anyone know for sure as to whether Karndean or vinyl planks in general are water proof??

Does the vinyl planks actually add more appeal if the property has to be rented? or work out better $$ wise with the probability of damage versus tiles?

How about resale value? Or is it much of a muchness as to whether renters or buyers in the future would react negatively to it being vinyl planks versus tiling through the main living areas etc? As mentioned above... "entry, kitchen, family, meals, pantry, rear passage – including activity linen"

I'd go vinyl planks any day. I also have them in all my IP's and in every house I've built and they're great. Last tenants thought they were timber and polished them, left them all greasy

Karndean is probably overkill for an IP, they're top of the range. I used Rhino Elements in ours and they're great.

The cheaper ones can scratch so I'd go for quality but not top of the range.

Click to expand...

I was jjust going off Trevor's Carpet range which has the argyle vinyl planks, ezy-fit planks (their trevor's brand, made by Brockman's on their behalf) and the Karndean.

Given ezyfit was like $900 and Karndean $1000 I figured you'd go Karndean over ezyfit. Meanwhile the argyle vinyl planks although called "luxury" vinyl planks, are about $355, and in store supposedly the cheap entry level vinyl planks that property agents get in when replacing items.

Is Rhino Elements a loose lay? I don't know much about types of flooring, but it seems some are saying avoid loose lay? However, the Karndean , ezy-fit and argyles were "loose fit". But I Though tthis meant they could be easily stuck down to the floor and cut out/lifted off the floor from the glue, and replaced with a new plank when damaged?? So I thought it would also be a good fix for if the house ever went to rental.

My question about resale value or rental appeal on the vinyl planks vs tiles would still stand. I know tiles are obviously colder, and harder, but not sure how vinyl planks are without my shoes on instore... are they reasonably padded? I hear warmer underfoot and better acoustics? However, they would scratch easily I assume?

If anyone has any tips on matching the vinyl planks flooring colours that would also be great. I'm thinking of avoiding bright warm timber brown looking planks given how modern the kitchen is with the glossy whit elaminate, white stone, and black splashback tiles. Walls most liekly will be a more white/light white/grey tones that are very neutral and would make renting out if need be one day easier as less personalised.

That said the advice from the mrs seemed to be to stick to more cooler timber looking vinyl planks... or with tones of grey or dark than the real wood look.

I.e. arizona or colorado as posted above with the karndean link. Thoughts/opinions?

Thanks Jess. Yeah, now that you mention it the arizona and colorado are 'stone' looking vinyl planks, but they are square indeed. I guess they're trying to mimick stone tiles as their colour/range. There are some 'wood' looking ones like the "Country Oak" that costs the same to put in.

Given your Rhino ones are stick down like the Karndean, is this still considered 'loose lay' which one of the posters above mentioned to avoid?

I'm going carpet throughout the bedrooms and activity room still though... although it will be polyprop given the solution dyed nylon is quoted as $2k to upgrade... am i making a mistake with that? Same for going with the bare minimum foam underlay thickness (was advised against it by Trevor's Carpets salesman as you'd be ripping them up and having damaged/dirtied foam underlay that going the bare minimum thickness underlay was sufficient)?

@dabbler - the difference as you mentioned was warmer underfooot. I was considering it for this purpose and the fact that I thought maybe there was better resale value, rental appeal or the like... but so far not much comments on this from other posters if there is a tangible value increase by going this over tiles. That and I figured it was still waterproof, although my builder has quoted them as "water resistant". And although tiles can crack I have rarely seen these in my own homes or others, so not sure if we are just 'careful' or this is one of those 'risks' of tiles that are very, very rare?

On the other hand can you replace tiles easily too? I assume you can just cut out one individual tile where affected? So grouting is more expensive/harder to do than pulling off a vinyl plank and resticking a new one... but you don't have to rip out all tiles I assume?? Assuming you can just cut out one tile that needs replacing.

P.S. If i go the vinyl planks their is concrete 'prep' work not done previously due to tiling being anticipated. If i change, they'll do allt he prep work as part of the cost as if I had chosen it originally. I assume by 'prep' work this is levelling and smoothening the concrete slab? Don't they have to do this to have level/even tiles anyway? And once they do these for planks/timber normally, does it affect your ability to put in tiles later down the tracK?

I cannot see any advantage with vinyl if it is laid on the slab, it will be just as cold and hard as tiles, tiles have no prob with water, if a tile is damaged, you remove and replace as well. I have done it a few times, I get my tiler back and you would not know the difference.

So far they just seem like the latest way to milk money from people ?

If they really do come up easy, then maybe it is easier to replace your floor when you want to update.

You see all sorts of fads and new ideas, tiles are still the main thing I see in many places, followed by carpet and lino if you want vinyl.

I put floating floors on one place as they are softer somewhat with good underlay and not as cold as tiles and no problem with spills if it is mopped up. Do not scratch easy either, but you need mid range at least, not the real cheap 15/m stuff.

regarding slab and prep, most slabs I have tiled on only required glue, on one place I had to take up quarry tiles and on that one that tiler did a bed first. I looked at the vinyl for use in a cold climate, but seemed no advantage to tile & a lot dearer, a tile could probably have chemical spills and be ok too, not sure how vinyl would go.

You can even buy tiles in a timber look (seems silly) or vinyl with a tile look (just as silly).

Maybe WA is very different to East coast too, just like going from Syd to Bris the houses and practices are different.

Probably the more expensive laminates don't scratch as much as the vinyl? At least the vinyl planks were told to me by the salesmen as being more scratch prone than laminate. They were however 'water resistant', i dont thinkt hey're fully waterproof?? ANyone with vinyl planks care to elaborate? Whereas tiles - pretty much scratch proof, waterproof, but colder and can chip if somethings dropped on them. Although I am yet to experience a chipped tile.

Can anyone confirm if a matte style tiling scratches more easily than the glossy? My current selections were matte if I save the $1,000 and stick with tiling, the mrs prefers glossy though. I thought the matte grey'ish tones worked better with glossy white laminate cupboards and stone in the kitchen... i might be wrong haha.

Yeah I figured you could remove a tile in singular form just like a single vinyl plank. I guess it's less DIY and more expensive to cut out a tile and regrout one back in though.

Yeah, not sure about slab preparation for tiles but assumedly it must be less work given i was told changing to the vinyl planks would require more slab prep. Not sure why becuase surely the slab would have to be levelled and polished clean priot to setting tiles on anyway? I would think between eastern and western states the advantages/benefits would be the same between tiling vs planks.

Where you might get a difference is the climate of WA vs the eastern states.

I haven't seen floating floors but it seems when negative comments come out about planks or wood, it's usually seems to be aimed at avoiding floating floors?

+ Lower maintenance, better look, better durability, less wear, more long term value to home. Make sure you get porcelain tiles not ceramics.

- Colder (can use rugs if needed)

Really only one con..

Price shouldn't be an issue if you go in with an investment mindset, whatever you choose should ROI in satisfaction, maintenance savings, etc over X years.

In regard to question about scratching. Matte is better than gloss, a textured surface is both less likely to scratch and will scratch less noticeably. I advise porcelain tiles as these are more durable than ceramics. Best finish is a semi-gloss or semi-matte as these are textured and not too difficult to clean.

Matte also tends to look more upmarket than gloss, however I suppose this is a preference thing.

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